Vusumuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala, along with senior SAPS officers who were arrested on Tuesday, 24 March 2026 over their alleged involvement in a R360-million corruption scandal. The accused are appearing in the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court on 25 March 2026. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla) Twelve South African Police Service (SAPS) officials allegedly paved the way for Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala’s company to secure a lucrative tender it should never have been awarded, and now, like him, they face serious criminal charges.
Late on Tuesday, 24 March 2026, the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption announced the arrests of the 12 senior officers. They face corruption and fraud charges, as well as accusations that they contravened the Public Finance Management Act.
The 12 (one who is now retired) appeared in the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, marking their official entry into democratic South Africa’s biggest law enforcement scandal involving allegations that a drug cartel known as the “Big Five” has infiltrated the country’s criminal justice system.
For his part, Matlala, while facing attempted murder charges in another court case, has been accused of being a Big Five cartel member.
/file/attachments/orphans/6I1A7373_579782.jpg "Twelve senior police officers, including generals and high-ranking officials linked to supply chain management, were arrested on Tuesday evening, 24 March 2026, over their alleged involvement in a R360-million corruption scandal. The accused are appearing in the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court on 25 March. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)")
Dozen in the dock
The 12 police officers who now face charges alongside him are:
- Captain Brian Cartwright;
- Brigadier Rachel Matjeng;
- Brigadier Alpheus Ngema;
- Brigadier Patrick Nthengwe;
- Colonel Tumisho Maleka;
- Major General Busisiwe Temba;
- Brigadier Kirsty Jonker;
- Brigadier Onicca Ofentse Tlhoaele;
- Colonel Anton Paulsen;
- Colonel Natsengae Monyai;
- Colonel Nonjobulo Mngadi; and
- Retired Brigadier Petunia Lenono.
Also facing charges with them is Matlala’s business associate, James Murray, and two of Matlala’s companies, including Medicare 24 Tshwane District (Pty) Ltd.
The court was packed during their appearance, with much of the attention focused on Matlala, who arrived about an hour late after being transferred from prison in Kokstad.
The State did not oppose bail for the 12. Murray, Cartwright, Matjeng and Maleka received bail of R80,000 while the others received bail of R40,000. Matlala remains in custody on other charges.
Cartwright was labelled “one of the main instigators” by the NPA, as he was allegedly a facilitator on the bid approval committee and ensured Matlala would be awarded the bid.
Reacting to the arrests, the South African government said: “These arrests send a clear and necessary message that no individual, including those entrusted with enforcing the law, is above scrutiny or beyond the reach of law enforcement.
“The integrity of law enforcement institutions is fundamental to public trust, and it is therefore critical that such matters are investigated thoroughly and prosecuted without fear or favour.”
The Matlala tender case revolves around a R360-million contract that the SAPS awarded to Medicare 24 in 2024. It related to services involving retirement due to ill health, wellness screenings and medical assessments prior to employment.
The tender was later cancelled because of red flags around it.
/file/attachments/orphans/WFD_7292_146268.jpg "Vusumuzi Matlala, James Murray and senior SAPS officers were arrested on Tuesday and are appearing in the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)")
Misrepresentation
It is understood that the State’s case is that several of the arrested police officers were allegedly involved in overlooking certain matters or misrepresenting issues, to benefit Matlala and Medicare 24.
For example, it is alleged that in standard bid documents, Medicare 24, via Matlala, declared that it was not involved in any consultations or arrangements with any official linked to the procurement process.
However, based on investigations, this appeared to be false.
It was also alleged that when certain police officers did due diligence at Medicare 24’s premises, the company did not have a computerised system compatible with the police’s database.
However, certain officers then misrepresented this, saying the opposite, that Medicare 24 had a compatible computerised system. Had the reality been reflected, Medicare 24’s bid submission would have been disqualified.
‘Exposing SAPS to corruption’
The Medicare 24 tender scandal was previously focused on during Parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating accusations that the Big Five cartel has infiltrated the state.
Lieutenant General Molefe Fani, the SAPS’s divisional commissioner of supply chain management, testified last year before the committee, explaining how tenders were awarded.
This process included a bid evaluation committee having to ensure that suppliers complied with criteria, “issues of tax compliance need to be taken into [account]”, and relevant documents needed to be properly completed.
The bid evaluation committee then provided a recommendation that went to a bid adjudication committee.
Daily Maverick has established, based on documents that Fani submitted to the ad hoc committee, that several of the police officers arrested on Tuesday were on the bid evaluation committee in the Medicare 24 saga.
It was previously heard by Parliament’s ad hoc committee that audit findings into this subsequently found: “The role of the facilitator in the bid evaluation committee previously exposed and is continuously exposing SAPS bidding process into corruption risks.”
The facilitator was identified as Cartwright, who was among the officers arrested on Tuesday and who appeared in court on Wednesday.
It is understood that Cartwright, together with Murray, now faces allegations of failing to disclose that they had consulted, through Matlala, about Medicare 24’s tender bid.
/file/attachments/orphans/6I1A7386_176812.jpg "Vusumuzi Matlala and senior police officers in the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court on 25 March 2026. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)")
Bigger picture and Crime Intelligence arrests
The arrest of the 12 police officers is the latest development in the overwhelming law enforcement scandal that erupted last year when KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi first alleged that a drug cartel had infiltrated policing, politics, and private security.
Two hearings – Parliament’s ad hoc committee and the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry – have been investigating the accusations.
Much focus has been on collusion claims involving police officers, Matlala and associates of his.
This week’s arrests solidify some of those claims into criminal charges that highlight how police officers were allegedly complicit in trying to channel masses of money to Matlala and his associates, who are accused of violent crimes.
The 12 arrests are not the first of police officers connected to this overall scandal.
Last year, in the run-up to Mkhwanazi making his staggering cartel infiltration claims, the national head of the police’s controversial Crime Intelligence unit, Dumisani Khumalo, was arrested along with six colleagues.
They face corruption charges over an allegedly irregular appointment and have denied wrongdoing.
Mkhwanazi is among a group of police officers who believe Khumalo was essentially framed to impede Crime Intelligence investigations into suspects, including those linked to the Big Five cartel.
Based on investigations into aspects of this overall scandal, and what has so far emerged from the hearings into it, more police arrests are probably in the pipeline. DM
Additional reporting by Naledi Mashishi.